This invention relates to a disposable diaper for absorbing and containing body wastes.
Japanese Utility Model Application Disclosure No. 1994-5614 describes a disposable diaper having a basic structure comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these two sheets wherein the basic structure is formed in a zone adapted to be placed against the wearer""s hip with a depression extending from the upper side to the lower side of the core to contain body wastes. The diaper described in the Application is effective to prevent leakage of body wastes by receiving and containing body wastes in the depression formed in the core.
Japanese Utility Model Application Disclosure No. 1993-27524 describes a disposable diaper comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core disposed between these two sheets. A pair of flaps extend longitudinally of the diaper across its front waist region and crotch region and a zone of the core lying between the flaps is formed with a protuberance extending upward from the upper surface of the core. The diaper described in the Application enables the wearer""s penis to be placed against the protuberance and thereby enables discharged urine to be rapidly absorbed by the core.
An object of this invention is to provide a disposable diaper enabling the core to be formed in its predetermined zones with a depression and a protuberance without previously molding the core to form such depression and protuberance.
According to this invention, there is provided a disposable diaper contoured by transversely opposite side edges and longitudinally opposite ends and comprising a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet and a liquid-absorbent core having first and second surfaces and disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet to configure, longitudinally of the diaper, a front waist region, a rear waist region and a crotch region extending between the front and rear waist regions.
This invention further comprises an elastic member that is placed on and secured under tension to the first surface of the core to surround a predetermined zone spaced inward from the transversely opposite side edges and the longitudinally opposite side ends so that the predetermined zone of the core is curved toward the second surface of the core as the elastic member contracts against the rigidity of the core.
This invention includes the following embodiments.
The elastic member surrounds the predetermined zone of the core about the vicinity of a longitudinal center line bisecting a dimension between the transversely opposite side edges of the diaper and such elastic member is placed in at least one of a front half of the diaper extending from the vicinity of a transverse center line bisecting a dimension between the longitudinally opposite ends of the diaper to the end of the front waist region and a rear half of the diaper extending from the vicinity of the transverse center line to the end of the rear waist region.
The elastic member is placed in both the front half and rear half of the diaper so that the elastic member surrounds a first predetermined zone on the second surface of the core in the front half and curves the first predetermined zone on the second surface toward the first surface to form a protuberance while the elastic member surrounds a second predetermined zone on the first surface of the core in the rear half and curves the second predetermined zone on the first surface toward the second surface to form a depression.
The elastic member is placed in both the front half and rear half of the diaper so that the elastic members surround respective predetermined zones on the first surface of the core and curve the respective predetermined zones in the first half and second half toward the second surface to form depressions, respectively.
The core is thinner in the predetermined zones of the core surrounded by the respective elastic members than in the remaining zone of the core not surrounded by the respective elastic members.